anabolic frolic

Vancouver rave promoter doesn't endorse relaxed Brit drug policy

Mark Wilson
The Province


Tuesday, March 19, 2002


A new British policy on drugs that turns a blind eye to the personal use of dance drugs such as ecstasy alarms Vancouver rave organizer Salim Lakhani.

Last year, Lakhani's company Swing Kids Entertainment was the organizer of a rave at the Pacific Coliseum. Despite tight security, two of the 4,600 young people attending died after taking ecstasy.

Yesterday, Lakhani said: "For the authorities to give up on ecstasy sends the wrong signal to bad elements in society. They will be producing more potent drugs and producing them in larger quantities. I don't believe the use of drugs is OK and I don't believe it is OK to ignore ecstasy so as to concentrate on cocaine and heroin."

Guidelines issued by Britain's Home Office accept that drug-taking is widespread among the young and cannot be eradicated.

"Controlled drug use has become a large part of youth culture and is for many young people an integral part of a night out," the Home Office document says.

British operators of dance clubs catering to young people are being advised to provide rest areas, water, improved ventilation and trained first-aid assistance. Special rest areas for those who may be overcome on the dance floor are termed "chill-out" rooms.

One club owner quoted in the British press approves of the new relaxed approach, noting that government cannot halt the flow of drugs in prison, let alone attempt to control what clubbers do.

Lakhani said: "Canada needs to keep tight controls on drugs. The responsibility for doing this at raves shouldn't all fall to the promoter. We promoters have only the same powers as ordinary citizens. We can turn people away if we think they are suspicious, but that's all."

Vancouver's top drug cop, Insp. Kash Heed, said city police aren't taking a softer line toward use of ecstasy. "The prohibition on chemical drugs is in place and we are enforcing it," he said.

Police acknowledge that licensed raves are vigilantly supervised, so any drug dealing that may occur has to be done clandestinely.

Lakhani said his company had 95 security guards, 15 off-duty police officers and eight first-aid attendants at its last big event.

His firm is planning a Halloween rave and an open-air rave, at a site yet to be announced, in August.

Email Mark Wilson at: mwilson@pacpress.southam.ca

© Copyright 2002 The Province

anabolic frolic

This promoter is a moron. I can't believe that after having two people die at one of his events, which were heavily policed, that he would argue against a harm reduction policy and for more enforcement.

The British seem to be heading in the right direction by realising the "war on drugs" is futile and their (limited) resources can be used in much better ways.

cuggy

bingo!

Riot

Thats vancity for you. our promoters suck

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bucky

Sounds to me like the promoter thought he could make statements like that to get on the good side of the police and other locals more than anything else... Either that, or he has no idea thats it not just looking the other way towards drug use but like you said moving towards a harm reduction model.

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Sliz

Hahha, the search at the last Slammin Vinyl I went to was like non exhistent. Take off hat, and we got to empty our own pockets and just walk by and show.